Meals for 1 with Leftovers to Share
I have no idea how to cook a lot of my meals for just one. There's simple things like a grilled cheese or other type of sandwich, omelette, or snacky type meals( hummus or avocado on toast with fruit is a go to) that I resort to. But usually, I just either cook the meal, 1/2 recipe if possible, and store leftovers in individual servings like ready meals. If my girls are here, that's easy as I send leftovers home.
My younger daughter has a second part time job. I already worry about how she eats, but now with a curious kitten, the stove is a scary appliance as it stays hot so long. With her added time and kitten constraints, I've tried to be intentional about getting her a few easy meals. Her apartment is on route to work so last week I dropped her off two servings of red lentil dal with rice, stuffed green peppers, two sausage, egg, and cheese burritos, and three homemade pumpkin muffins. That with the inevitable Chipotle at least once, fruit, yogurt, cereal, and a few Trader Joe's ready meals, plus her own weekend cooking, and I know she won't go hungry.
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| Chickpea vegetable curry and basmati rice |
I know, cut the apron strings already. But, I like to cook meals that aren't in recipes for one and I don't want to eat 8 portions of the same meal. Funny, when my son visited, we'd be lucky if there was two servings left! The days following that week included/ will include a red lentil Bolognese and pasta, chickpea and vegetable curry, spicy rice and beans ( thanks Belinda for the recipe), cottage pie, and spinach and cheese quiche. My freezer and hers will be getting full.
I need recommendations on microwave and freezer safe food containers. As these likely will often get tossed in error, or let's face it, grow science projects if stuck in my daughter's lunch bag, I don't want to spend much. I saw these but then there was a big scary warning about carcinogens, so I'll pass. IKEA has nice glass ones, that still would be close to $5 a container. I might still go that route if no one has other suggestions. They last, if they can avoid the garbage can in error or lost at her work.
I understand your concerns over lost or thrown out containers but I have been switching to glass ones over the past couple of years because of concerns over carcinogens in the plastics. They are pricier and heavier so that is also a concern. These things are always a balancing act. For me, I use ziplocs and some plastics when freezing but switch to glass for heating as I believe some of the concerns are around what is released during the heating process - perhaps that is a compromise you could use....
ReplyDeleteI do that now, move from plastic to a real play or bowl to heat up. That's harder for my daughter as she'd need to make sure she has a second plate/ bowl with her. I think I'll have to just splurge and go with glass.
DeleteLooks good! I have my very picky autistic son to feed so I struggle
ReplyDeleteWith what he will eat. He will not eat chicken very often, nor pork, nor beans. He will eat sautéed spinach, bananas, corn, sometimes potatoes, coleslaw now, green onions. He won’t touch tomatoes but eats a lot of spaghetti and lasagna. I do not understand that one. He will eat beef hot dogs, and hamburgers. He hates chocolate, cake, but wants the high price ice cream bars and takes the chocolate off with a knife and then eats the vanilla ice cream. Cindy in the South
That would be tough to work with so many restrictions. When my daughter decided she wanted to go vegetarian at 12, she helped a lot to plan. As an adult, she teaches me options to get include delicious vegan items, but I don't necessarily cater to her and she'll bring her own.
DeleteCindy in the South,
DeleteMy son with no problems would not eat tomatoes but loved any cooked tomato product. Have you had your son tested for allergies. I was thought of as picky when actually I was allergic to the meat I refused to eat from an infant and the green peas I hated. Practical Parsimony
I have finally learned to get past sandwiches, salad and soup. I just cook what sounds good to me - maybe a half recipe - and eat what I want and freeze the rest. No hard and fast rules. It gets easier. Love that you are helping the daughter out.
ReplyDeleteEven 1/2 recipes yield so much. I like dropping some meals off for her.
DeleteOver the years I've switched over to all glass containers and jars and eliminated all plastic. Anchor has some good ones and I found some last year on Amazon that are heavy glass with a really good lid that has three separate sections to each one but I don't remember the brand. Neither were that expensive. The one's I bought last year were around 20.00 for 5. Things can also be frozen in ball jars. Just make sure to leave enough head space and don't put in the freezer until it's completely cooled off.
ReplyDeleteI do have a lot of ball jars. Those will be good for soups. Never thought to use them to freeze. Thank you.
DeleteThat's what I came to say. I freeze a lot of things in canning jars. Currently have oatmeal (steel cut) with fruit, butter chicken, chili, brown rice and vegetable soup all stored in various sizes of jars in the freezer. Lets me pick and choose to assemble a quick, healthy meal.
DeleteMy daughter uses a cookbook that uses mostly just one dish to cook with - I will look up the name and send it to you . Most of the dishes are vegetarian, but easy to add a meat / fish side
ReplyDeleteI think your food looks delicious
Siobhan x
Yum. I'll be on the lookout. I need to adapt. You know the new routine too.
DeleteI found some wonderful silicon containers at Aldi that are portioned. I bought the 1 cup, 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoon sizes and now I wish I had bought at least 2 in each size. They are much like ice trays. The 1 cup holds 4 servings, the 1/2 cup holds 6 and the 2 tablespoon holds 8. I put them in the freezer and once frozen I pop the contents out and put them in freezer bags, so I will have the container clean and ready for the next round of leftovers.
ReplyDeleteMy mother once said, "Apron strings will disintegrate on their own." They will with or without meals, so get her all the meals you please. As for me, feeding people feeds my spirit.
ReplyDeleteI do like to show I care through food. At least I'm trying to do it with healthy food.
DeleteI try to cook things that will be consumed a few times over the days or frozen for a later time.
ReplyDeleteI've cooked for one for almost 30 years. I'm so used to it that now I have a hard time scaling up when there's company!. I usually just wing my meals, but when I do follow a recipe I cut it i n half and freeze the leftovers in plastic containers, but reheat it in glass. Soups are easy for lunches, and freeze well. Those I make in big batches and freeze in smaller containers.
ReplyDeleteSoups are good to take to work from the freezer. I often forget to put my lunch in communal fridge.
DeleteDaddy and MIL said to change the size of pans I was cooking it. At first I thought , this isn't enough for the two of us but it is when you are pickles and such along with it. Daddy always cooked Bean soup and corn bread on Saturday to eat Saturday and Sunday. He was a widow for 30 years.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind some leftovers, just not five days worth!
DeleteI can highly recommend Snapware. Publix carries it. It is glass with a lid with four tabs to lock the lid onto. I love it. The lid can be washed in the top rack of dishwasher, but I just wash the lid in the sink. It freezes well and will not leak. It is heavy, but better than cheap plastic containers. Snapware also comes in plastic. The lids are interchangeable from plastic ware to glass ware.
ReplyDeleteI can understand wanting to feed your kids. Do it if it makes you happy. Don't worry about apron strings. I have done the same thing long distance! I would ignore talk of cutting apron strings.
I don't understand wanting to cook a meal and not have leftovers. I always liked having a meal in the refrigerator or freezer for later or having leftovers to enjoy. But, your habits and feelings are yours. Maybe no one understands my cooking 6 huge bscb...lol.
A cat will only jump on a hot stove once, and it will never jump on a cold stove after that. My sister has cats and never has this problem. Besides, daughter can teach the cat the stove is hot. My friend's cat was allowed on the counters, but that cat never approached the stove or got hurt. She can hold the cat in her arms and stand near the stove. The cat will recognize the stove as hot and will never go near it. Promise.
SAM,
DeleteStick to one brand for the snap lids and glass container. Otherwise, the lids seem to fit but won't be air and waterproof. I bought these in Publix when bogo. I also bought some from Amazon.
Practical Parsimony
I don't like eating the same thing days on end.
DeleteLori is correct, good tip. You can freeze in Ball jars, but it has to be the straight-sided jars, not the ones with a shoulder. I even use them for storing in refrigerator. I have seen salads in Ball jars, desserts, things like cottage cheese and fruits. The used lids from canning can be reused for freezing many times.
ReplyDeleteThe aluminum ramp and Tommy's car are white with frost. 20F out.
That looks lovely! I can recommend a book I found at a charity shop, Katy Beskow: Five Ingredient Vegan, everything I've made from the beer bread, Moroccan tagine & sweet potato hash to the lemon shortbread and cauliflower cheese soup has been delicious, inexpensive and easy to make.
ReplyDeleteI've been owned by cats since I was a child and have never known one to jump on a stove top, they are superior beings, far more intelligent than humans! xxx
This guy loved walking across the stove or wrapping around an arm while trying to cook. Plus, he liked the warmth from the oven and we caught him napping on the stove! I will lol I for the cookbook or at least recipes online.
DeleteDo you have a recipe for the chickpea curry. Our local Hindu temple serves it and it's delicious. I'd love to try cooking it.
ReplyDeleteI'll try to find. It's a combination of several recipes modified over the years. I just make it without thought now.
DeleteAll the best recipes evolve don't they
DeleteLike Margie said, we have switched over to mainly glass containers with lids for storage. We find so many of them second hand, that it was an easy way to fill our cabinet with them. Speaking of smaller portions, Bailey and I have been eating less than we used to in the last year and I find that our meals go much further. What I could count on to be eaten at one meal a year ago has leftovers these days, so I end up freezing a lot of things. I'm sure your daughter is so grateful for the meals you've made for her. I would LOVE it if my Mom had done that for me, you rock Sam!
ReplyDeleteI think that's part of why I have so much leftover even with 1/2 recipes. I just don't eat as much anymore. Too bad the pounds aren't falling off!
DeleteA mother's love via cooking is always appreciated, My siblings always eat when they come over and if there is a fav dish to give left overs, they take it. Your kiddos will always appreciate this - somethings just taste wayyy better coming from mom!
ReplyDeleteI know she does appreciate having something ready to heat up that is nutritious. No e of my kids are fast food people, with Chipotle and Panda Express as the exceptions.
DeleteI agree with Meg in that the apron strings will cut on their own. Heck it's a pleasure for me to take food over to my kids if I've been cooking. It gives my DIL a break and my other single son always enjoys it!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they appreciate the meals too as much as my kids do.
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